Lucy’s life by the pond has always been full. She has water and friends, laughter and the love of her adoptive mother, Lynn, who has made sure that Lucy’s childhood was very different from her own. Yet it seems Lucy’s future is settled already—a house, a man, children, and a water source—and anything beyond their life by the pond is beyond reach.

When disease burns through their community, the once life-saving water of the pond might be the source of what’s killing them now. Rumors of desalinization plants in California have lingered in Lynn’s mind, and the prospect of a “normal” life for Lucy sets the two of them on an epic journey west to face new dangers: hunger, mountains, deserts, betrayal, and the perils of a world so vast that Lucy fears she could be lost forever, only to disappear in a handful of dust.

In this companion to Not a Drop to Drink, Mindy McGinnis thrillingly combines the heart-swelling hope of a journey, the challenges of establishing your own place in the world, and the gripping physical danger of nature in a futuristic frontier.

After reading and being blown away by Not A Drop to Drink, I was expecting nothing less from In A Handful of Dust. Let me just tell you, this book surpassed my expectations by a mile.

Not only did I love the allusions back to Not A Drop to Drink (which brought back all of the feels), but the new story set years later was just as emotional, intense, and amazing as its companion. In this book we don’t get one inspiring female protagonist but two: Lucy and Lynn. Going into this book I wasn’t sure just how much of the characters from Drop were going to be in Dust, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that Lynn played a major role in the storyline. We really get to see how the events of Drop affected her life in Dust. The character development throughout the book for both characters was so well done, packed with emotion and completely raw that every scenario in this book was full of realism.

The story is every bit as action-packed, dark, and wired as Drop, and Mindy McGinnis doesn’t steer away from the sometimes not-so-nice truths of life and humanity. There is absolutely no romance in this book, which I can’t have been more thankful for. Although I’m a girl who loves a good romance, I like a story that can stand on its own without romance stealing the show. Both of these books are refreshingly free of that, focusing mainly on the more familial relationships and friendships that are formed during the worst of times.

Overall, I cannot fully express my love for these books through just a simple review. You really must read these books for yourself to understand just how amazing they truly are. Shocking and emotionally charged, In A Handful of Dust did not disappoint.

*Although this is a companion novel to Not A Drop to Drink, I do recommend reading In A Handful of Dust after, as it spoils things from Drop, and I believe you will just appreciate it more having read the other first!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine in which we share a book that we are eagerly anticipating!

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: September 23, 2014

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The only thing bigger than the world is fear.

Lucy’s life by the pond has always been full. She has water and friends, laughter and the love of her adoptive mother, Lynn, who has made sure that Lucy’s childhood was very different from her own. Yet it seems Lucy’s future is settled already—a house, a man, children, and a water source—and anything beyond their life by the pond is beyond reach.

When disease burns through their community, the once life-saving water of the pond might be the source of what’s killing them now. Rumors of desalinization plants in California have lingered in Lynn’s mind, and the prospect of a “normal” life for Lucy sets the two of them on an epic journey west to face new dangers: hunger, mountains, deserts, betrayal, and the perils of a world so vast that Lucy fears she could be lost forever, only to disappear in a handful of dust.

In this companion to Not a Drop to Drink, Mindy McGinnis thrillingly combines the heart-swelling hope of a journey, the challenges of establishing your own place in the world, and the gripping physical danger of nature in a futuristic frontier.

*hyperventilates*

*flails*

*faints*

When I heard there was going to be a companion to Not A Drop to Drink I actually got up and danced around the house for a little bit. That book was one that I read in one sitting and I closed the book and went “WOAH.” Everything about it was just so amazing and it gave me a MAJOR book hangover.

So, obviously when I heard about In A Handful of Dust I went crazy. AND on top of that it follows the story of one of the characters from Drop, but she’s all grown up now.

I just can’t put into words the level of excitement I have regarding this book.

Have you read Not A Drop to Drink? Did you love it as much as I did? Are you excited for In A Handful of Dust, too? Let’s talk!

Disclaimer

This blog is my hobby, and I do not receive compensation for any posts or reviews I write. Sometimes I receive ARCs for free from publishers or authors in exchange for an honest review. All reviews are my own thoughts and opinions, non-biased, and not at all influenced by authors or publishers, including promotional blog tour reviews. Book covers and synopses are taken from Goodreads.com unless otherwise noted. If you have a problem with anything featured on this site please, please, PLEASE feel free to contact me!

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